Five fallen policemen in siege promoted

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday gave posthumous promotion to five policemen killed in action during the three-week siege of Zamboanga City last month by the Misuari faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

PNP Public Information chief, Sr. Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac said that aside from posthumous promotion, the families of the slain police officers will receive additional benefits aside from lifetime pension from PNP.

Each family received checks amounting to P250,000 from the President’s Social Fund; special financial assistance equivalent to six months of pay and allowances ranging from P140,000 to P181,000.

The PNP officials said the families of the slain policemen are also to receive P50,000 burial benefits and gratuity of at least P203,000 from the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

“Each orphaned family will receive roughly between P1.5 and P2 million, on top of the estimated P15,000 monthly lifetime pension from the PNP and roughly the same amount of pension for five years from the Napolcom,” Sindac said.

The PNP official said that children of the slain policemen are also entitled to PNP educational benefits and their surviving kin are also entitled to claim insurance benefits from the Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund Inc., the insurance provider of the PNP.